This month, we chatted with Julia, the founder and maker behind Loop Kids & More, a rising brand offering durable and sustainable clothing with a fantastic fun twist. Read on to discover Julia's story and step into her world of pattern, colour and planet-first standards.
1. Hi Julia, can you tell me about yourself and your craft?
Hi, my name is Julia. I live in the UK with my husband and two kids.
My business - Loop kids and more - focuses on designing fun, bright and comfy unique clothes and accessories for kids and adults.
My main focus is to show that sustainable clothing is unique and interesting and that a good, handmade piece of clothing is so much more attractive and longer-lasting. This is why I mix new high-quality fabrics with good quality vintage clothes. I recycle and upcycle whenever possible. I want to keep materials in the “loop” (hence the name of my business) as long as possible. Living in various countries and working as an architect influenced my style, the choice of shapes and colours in my business today.
2. How did you get started?
It all began as a hobby when I bought my first sewing machine a few years ago. I did a sewing class once a week and from then on, it was learning by doing. I started with the idea to upcycle fabrics and collecting vintage high-quality men’s shirts, jeans and school uniforms.
I feel that if we continue consuming and throwing away clothing the way we do now, it will be a massive burden on the environment and consume a lot of resources. Most of the fast-fashion items we can buy consist of a poor-quality fibre mix, which means very little can be recycled.
3. Where do you find your inspiration?
I find inspiration every day, when I am working on one of my upcycling projects. It is like a little puzzle - finding the right mix of fabrics, sizes and parts - it’s a very creative process which I enjoy a lot.
4. What is the biggest challenge you face as a maker/business owner?
Spreading the word about my business is quite hard. It is one thing to visit social media but quite another trying to make a name for yourself, especially on social media. That is why I decided to focus on Instagram at the moment.
5. What does a typical day look like for you?
The day starts with getting my kids ready for school and doing what is needed in the house. Then I try to concentrate on my business. Either I work on Instagram posts, search for fabrics and patterns, or I am cutting or sewing. I am not a night owl, anything that needs to happen, needs to happen during the day.
6. How do you stay motivated? Any advice for your fellow Makers?
Actually, I am pretty motivated every day, I really enjoy what I am doing. When I see someone wearing my unique items, it makes me proud of what I have achieved, it feels good and it’s a first step to becoming more sustainable.
My advice for other makers - Focus on whatever you are passionate about, put one step in front of the other and just do it!
7. Do you have any hobbies that are not related to your craft?
I am an outdoor person, I like doing sports, of course, I like architecture and design, eating and cooking as well as travelling.
8. What are your goals for 2021?
Spreading the word about my business more widely. Trying to sell my finished items over Etsy in the near future and getting more selling opportunities on markets - it is great being out there and getting feedback from customers directly.
9. How can we find you and your products online?
You can find me on Instagram! It is a great way to see what I am currently working on and what is available. I am more than happy to take customised orders, I have a range of different fabrics in stock, and I am sure I can find the right thing for yourself, your family or a gift for a friend.
10. How are you finding being part of Makers United? How is it helping your business?
I am really pleased to be part of Makers United. When I first established my
business, I realised that building up your own business needs a lot more than just
eagerness and creativity. You need to develop your product and still be on top of
all the other tasks such as marketing and accounting!
I benefited a lot from engaging with other Makers to help me to keep going and see things from another perspective. Every Maker comes with a different background and different abilities and dreams and it’s fantastic that Makers United brings these people together.
